I want to bring some medicines/dietary supplements/herbal preparations into Australia through the mail from overseas - what restrictions are there?

You may bring a 3 month supply (at the maximum dose recommended by the manufacturer) of unapproved medicines into Australia in any one importation without any approval required by the TGA provided that:

the goods are for the use in the treatment of the importer or their immediate family; and
you do not supply (sell or give) the medicine to any other person; and
the goods do not contain a controlled substance (see: Import & export of controlled substances ; and
the goods are not injections that contain material of human or animal origin (except insulin); and
the total quantity of the medicine imported within a 12 month period does not exceed 15 months supply of the drug (at the maximum dose recommended by the manufacturer); and
if the goods are in Schedule 4 or 8 of the Standard for the Uniform Scheduling of Drug and Poisons a prescription from a registered medical practitioner is held for the goods.

To establish if the goods are subject to the Customs legislation you need to know what are the ingredients in the product. You can then look up the controlled substances which require import licences/permits. Each State and Territory of Australia also has its own Poison and Drugs legislative controls (see: Import & export of controlled substances

You should also check these requirements before importing these types of goods. An import permit will not be issued for substances in Schedule 4 or Schedule 8 of the Standard for the Uniform Scheduling of Drugs and Poisons unless a prescription from a registered doctor in Australia has been submitted to the Treaties and Compliance Section, Office of Chemical Safety, Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.

Can I get more than a 3 month supply at a time?

If you need a larger quantity than specified above, your doctor will need to apply to the Special Access Scheme (02 6232 8111) for an exemption under Section 19 of the Therapeutic Goods Act for the importation of unapproved goods.

3 month supply can be either manufacturer's maximum recommended dosage or you can just sign a statutory declaration yourself saying that it is meant to be used within 3 months

Can I get access to medicines containing controlled substances which are not approved in Australia?

Your Doctor should contact the Special Access Scheme (02 6232 8111) for details on the supply of unapproved medicines in Australia. If an exemption is granted through the Special Access Scheme the Doctor or Pharmacist will then need to request an import licence/permit through the Office of Chemical SafetyDoes it make any difference if I am bringing medication with me to Australia rather than ordering it through the mail?

The requirements for travelling with medicines containing a controlled substance and ordering them through the mail are NOT the same.

Related information

Import & export of controlled substances

General guidance for travellers bringing medicines to and from Australia

Ordering medicines from overseas for personal use in Australia

Why do some substances require import or export licences/permits to bring them into or out of Australia?

Australia is a signatory to three International Drug Conventions which aim to limit the use of certain drugs and chemicals for medical and scientific purposes. They lay down a code of legislative practice and administration which assists governments to work together to prevent drug abuse and its harmful consequences. Substances included in these Conventions (eg narcotics, psychotropics, precursors) are included in the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations and the Customs (Prohibited Exports) Regulations. Some substances which are not covered by the International Conventions but are of sufficient health concern in Australia to warrant controls are also included in these Regulations (eg anabolic steroids).

Where do I get a request form for an import licence/ permit and how long does it take to process?

Request forms for substances in Schedule 4 or Schedule 8, item 3C (anabolic androgenic steroids) of the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations may be obtained from the Office of Chemical Safety, Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.

Is there any charge for an import or export licence/permit?

No.

What is the difference between a licence and a permit?

The importation of substances in Schedule 4 of the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations requires the importer to hold an annual import licence plus an import permit for each separate consignment imported. The importation of substances in Schedule 8 of the Regulations requires only an import permit.

Related information

Import & export of controlled substances

Why are some substances available without a prescription overseas but are controlled substances in Australia?

Each country has its own rules and regulations regarding what controls there are on particular substances. Countries, which are signatories to the international drug treaties, will generally have similar requirements for narcotic and psychotropic substances. However, there can be a vast difference in the way in which anabolic/androgenic steroids are regulated.

The substances listed below are not controlled substances in some countries (eg USA) and are widely available in dietary supplement preparations.

DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone)
Norandrostenedione
Ephedra (ma huang)
Ephedrine
However, under the Customs legislation in Australia, these substances are classified as either anabolic steroids or precursors and are prohibited imports unless an import permit has been obtained.

Anyone ordering herbal or dietary supplements from the USA should check that the product does not contain a controlled substance.

Where such preparations are identified by Customs as prohibited imports, the goods will be seized. Import permits cannot be issued retrospectively and the goods may be destroyed by Customs.

. .this means it is illegal to import or posess these substances. If you have ordered and recieved any of the substances listed, then consider yourself fortunate.

Also attached is the WADA Prohibited Drug List for those future athletes.

Regarding commercial anabolic/androgenic products in Australia:

If its anabolic/androgenic it will never be approved! All they are doing is bringing the product to the notice of people that you really don't want noticing it. Or they will have an international version of the product which is nothing like the American version. E.G. L.G did it with Meth 1-D the version you can currently buy in Australia 'from selected retails' is similar to the American pSarm but sure isn't Meth 1-D. There has been others as well. So members beware and check the ingredient profile if you see these products in Australian stores before you purchase! You could be paying top $$$ for something you can always get in dirt cheap from N.P.

Great work Jakellpet! I will get to work with some info for you over the next few days. Been really busy ATM. I think you might also need to change the heading name as it would be very poorly optimised for google searches. Under the old one if you put in Australian Customs supplements the thread would come up in the top 10. I think as it is now its to abbreviated and I doubt people will google Aust or Supps so if you can at least change that to the full word and we can see if google picks it up.

Crap I was planning to order some! What state are you in? Did they give you a reason?

Not sure how customs work, but maybe worth posting what states tend to have the certain products get through? Only for the ones that get seized as I had no problems getting epistane through eventhough it was inspected by customs.

Crap I was planning to order some! What state are you in? Did they give you a reason?

Not sure how customs work, but maybe worth posting what states tend to have the certain products get through? Only for the ones that get seized as I had no problems getting epistane through eventhough it was inspected by customs.

. . . and again there has been others that have had epistane confiscated . . .

I am going to post the past few orders i have made, everything has gotten through except for Miracle Reds, which probably means Macro Greens should have been seized but i was lucky to get them through :-

. Out of all the products in the aforementioned list, the only one that got seized was Miracle Reds, which probably means that MAcro Greens can be seized as well, it was due to some of the super foods used in it.

jakellpet...
You are aware that people were trying to undo Cubs good work aren't you? Not saying any names....

Yeah I think jake knows. I will try get some info to Jake Tuesday or Wednesday but in the first few posts it will be mentioned!

Tell me are you talking about the gumbies that order through fed ex, or 20 frinkin bottles then claim it now gets confiscated?

Or are you talking about the evil nasty so and so's that claim their order (e.g Epi) got confiscated and then have a mate P.M everybody that expresses disappointment to tell them they have a few bottles of the stuff for sale at $200 a bottle! I hate them people!

Are you kidding me??!!!!! There were people who were actually trying to send around misinformation just to make some extra bucks or to just screw other people around??? God they must be desperate to make some extra cash, especially since we have enough troubles with customs and trying to figure out what we can order without these people causing more problems.

nope it wasn't this time which may explain it since it has DHEA. Mind you, ordering through NP I've never had problems bringing in products with DHEA.

Not the DHEA that i'm worried about, it's more about the 1-Androsterone that is clearly written on the TGA website.... Then again so is DHEA... Customs aye?, have to be lucky enough not to be inspected....

Better add:
Fast Action - MD1T, My mate just got that through inspected...
Another one had 1,4 AD BOLD seized, no surprise there what a dumb ass he is.... Ordering it from bb, the only thing he was missing was fedex, LOL!!!

Ive had PH's seized and some being allowed so i think its pretty much comes down to who inspects your package. So don't assume anything.

Exactly what they say... A new user with 2 Posts comes on AM and starts claiming things, isn't that weird? a few of you guys around, while people who've been here a while still get stuff through, weird aye?...

Exactly what they say... A new user with 2 Posts comes on AM and starts claiming things, isn't that weird? a few of you guys around, while people who've been here a while still get stuff through, weird aye?...

Exactly what they say... A new user with 2 Posts comes on AM and starts claiming things, isn't that weird? a few of you guys around, while people who've been here a while still get stuff through, weird aye?...

Seems my join date is before yours so who is the new user here? Either way its not certain so i dont think anyone should post that it is thats all. With our dollar so weak atm a $30 US dollar PH + shipping is not exactly cheap to lose.

Seems my join date is before yours so who is the new user here? Either way its not certain so i dont think anyone should post that it is thats all. With our dollar so weak atm a $30 US dollar PH + shipping is not exactly cheap to lose.

Yeah maybe we should get it ourself at all.... Bet you got a better price aye?

Your a Fukin Gun Jake, the time and trouble you go to on here to help out average bum's like me is much appreciated. i will know in next couple of days how I go with getting my "one" in....
Im hoping cause of public holiday they may have some build up and be more likely to not check, due to sheer volume of stuff to get through.